The values below were constructed in consultation with all of our stakeholders. Eventually, the children of the school were asked to vote for the final values that best represent how we aspire to be here at Mill Mead. They decided that we are committed to ensuring everyone at Mill Mead is:
Honest Respectful Resilient Kind Brave Responsible Reflective
In order to ensure these are being taught and promoted, we have appointed some of our wonderful Y6 children as ‘Values Ambassadors’. These children will be responsible for promoting the values throughout the school and especially during assemblies. In addition the weekly Head’s Awards will be focussed on the values and the winners will get to wear one of our ‘Values Medals’ for the week before handing it over to the next worthy winner.
We have associated each of these values with a woodland animal and a colour. Each class has a 'Values Tree' and children can collect house credits each time they demonstrate one of the values. This achievement is celebrated by them placing a corresponding leaf on the Value Tree.
Our Y6 children have written a story to help explain why each of the animals have been linked to the values.
The story of our School Values
Once upon a time, in a magical woodland, not far from here, two joyful children skipped merrily hand in hand along a blossom covered path. The trees stood like soldiers guarding the beautiful forest. The broad branches were reaching outwards, like welcoming arms. The golden rays of the sun lit the way ahead. The children were dressed identically, smart white collars poking out from underneath their navy blue jumpers. On the chest, close to their hearts, a badge of wheat and water was displayed. Two golden Ms shone proudly in the centre: Mill Mead Primary School.
The blissful silence was broken by the soft sobs of a beautiful badger, with his white stripe gleaming in the sunlight. He was rubbing his arms and legs in pain after falling into a ring of stinging nettles. “OWWWW!” he was howling. Of course, the loud noises woke the little mouse that was buried deep below ground. As quick as a flash, the mouse scurried upwards, noticing the badger in pain. He worked out quickly what had happened and rushed desperately around collecting dock leaves. The lovely, little mouse thought of nothing else but saving the badger. As he was so tiny, he was able to reach every sore point the badger was rubbing. He wrapped his wounds tightly in dock leaves, stroking the badger reassuringly as he did so. “You are such a Kind Mouse”, whispered the badger, through his final tears.
The two children from Mill Mead School continued along the path, with warm hearts. They were stopped in their tracks as a spikey ball lay still on the path. But wait? It was moving! Out of the spikey ball poked a gentle face with a shiny nose. It was a hedgehog. He was shaking, with tears streaming from his bulging eyes. “What’s wrong?” asked the children
“I did something terrible, and I don’t know how to fix it!” responded the hedgehog. The children listened patiently as the hedgehog explained what had happened. Whilst playing catch, the hedgehog had made a bad decision to throw his pinecone aggressively. Accidentally, the pine cone had hit badger in the head, with loud bonk! The hard knock had caused badger to fly into a circle of stinging nettles. Hedgehog felt so guilty he had run as fast as his little legs would carry him. The children knew exactly what to say: “Sometimes people make mistakes - it is how we act after those mistakes that defines who we are”. The hedgehog suddenly looked brighter and nodded slowly. “I know what to do!” he exclaimed. He rushed over to the badger’s side, who was being comforted by the Kind Mouse. “I am the one who threw the pinecone and caused this whole mess! I am so sorry. What can I do to make it right?” The badger looked shocked at first, but then did something surprising. He welcomed the hedgehog into a warm, friendly hug. “That’s alright, everyone makes mistakes. You are such an Honest Hedgehog”. The badger wiped his tears from his face, picked himself up and said, “Sometimes bad things happen and that is okay. But I am not going to let this ruin my day”. He stood up, wrapped in dock leaves, holding tightly on the hands of the Kind Mouse and Honest Headghog.
“You are such a Brave Badger”, they said in unison.
High above the trees, far above the accident below, a little, colourful bird was flapping his wings tirelessly. He chirped desperately, causing the children to peer upwards. Alone on the branch of a big, golden oak tree he looked down at the ground far below with sorrow in his eyes. His knees were knocked with black, battered bruises and his wings were scruffy from all the effort. It was clear he had tried (and failed) many times to fly. His eyes looked desperate, but with a glint of continued determination. Suddenly, a deeper hoot echoed through the branches. An owl, with bulging eyes and wise wings sat proudly watching over the little bird. At first, he didn’t interfere, but after a few more failed attempts, he offered some fine advice. “The one who falls and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried. Do not fear failure, little one, but rather fear not trying”. The words swam around the little bird’s head and a sudden shiver of energy flooded his wings. The owl, conscious not to let the bird fall again, stood by his side whispering words of encouragement. “I am here. Take a risk. I won’t let you fall.” The bird listened and took a graceful step off the branch. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the painful thud of the ground below…but it never came. He opened his eyes to see his wings flapping gracefully. He was flying! The owl, as promised, remained by his side: “you are such a Resilient Bird”, he hooted.
“And you, Sir, are a very Responsible Owl. How can I ever thank you?” he chirped in response.
Not much further down the path, a little squirrel was burying his acorns, ready for the winter months. His eyes glowed with excitement at the thought of scoffing these acorns in his chubby cheeks, when they become scarce. Suddenly, the leaves behind him rustled ominously. He whipped his little head around, to meet the eyes of a greedy looking fox. The chase began. The squirrel ran as fast as his little legs would carry him. The fox snapped his teeth together and growled, looking hungrily at the acorn between the squirrel’s palms. As the squirrel tired and breathed heavily, the fox grew closer. But the squirrel wasn’t giving up: he turned around and bravely looked the fox in the eyes. “I understand you are hungry too, but listen. We may be from different parts of the wood, and we may both have our differences. But, true empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another,” stated the squirrel calmly. To his surprise, the fox stopped in its tracks. It looked as though he was in deep thought. For a moment the squirrel was worried he had said too much. However, the fox replied with equal calmness, “How can you speak so calmly to me when I have just been so horrible? You really are a very Respectful Squirrel. Thank you”. He took a deep breath and continued, “I have thought about my actions and how they could hurt you. I realise now I was acting out of jealousy: that acorn just looks so delicious! It is not fair to put my needs ahead of yours and destroy your hard word. I apologise. I can help you find some more acorns. I have a very good sense of smell!” The fox’s eyes softened as he spoke. The squirrel could not believe his luck…
“You really are a very Reflective Fox. Thank you for being my new friend,” responded the squirrel graciously. And they continued on their merry way.
The children from Mill Mead Primary School felt happy leaving the forest, knowing all the animals were safe and happy. As they turned their heads to take one last look down the beautiful path, they waved goodbye to the wonderful woodland, the Kind Mouse, Brave Badger, Honest Hedgehog, Resilient Bird, Responsible Owl, Respectful Squirrel and the Reflective Fox.